Researcher:

Research Area:

B

This is a comparative study in the context of the current debate on cultural specificities of literary works. The study looks at the common intercultural features of autobiographical texts in general and of childhood accounts in particular. Cross cultural, cross-linguistic and cross-contextual aspects of two African works in French and two European works in German are examined. The key argument of the study is that borders or specificities constructed and bestowed upon African writings confine them in a literary ghetto. If childhood accounts from Africa and Europe were studied together, a shape would emerge which would probably reflect the basic or new characteristics of the genre in the literary landscape which is continuous.